Old Taverns and Tavern Keepers continued—Cumberland to Little Crossings—The City of Cumberland—Everstine’s—The Six Mile House and Bridge—Clary’s—Tragedy in Frostburg—Thomas Beall—Sand Springs—Big Savage—Little Savage—Thomas Johnson—The Shades of Death—John Recknor—Piney Grove—Mortimer Cade—Tomlinson’s—Widow Wooding.
The city of Cumberland is the initial point, as before stated, of that portion of the National Road which was constructed by authority of Congress, and paid for with funds drawn from the public treasury of the United States. In 1835 James Black kept the leading tavern in Cumberland. It was a stage house. In 1836 John and Emory Edwards, of Boonsboro, leased the Black House, and conducted it as a tavern for many years thereafter. John Snider, the old pike boy of pleasant memory, hauled a portion of the household goods of the Edwards’ from their old home in Boonsboro to their new location at Cumberland. At the date last mentioned there were two wagon stands in Cumberland. One of them was kept by Thomas Plumer. Plumer had teams on the road. The other was kept by George Mattingly. Frederic Shipley kept a tavern in Cumberland previous to the year 1840. It was located on Baltimore street, near the site of the station first established by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. This house was subsequently conducted by George W. Gump, and after him, in 1857, by David Mahaney. One Kaig, of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, succeeded Mahaney in the control of this house. It was called “The American,” and entertained wagoners and the traveling public at large. In 1844 and later, the widow Adams kept a wagon stand in Cumberland, on the site of the present rolling mill. George Elliott was manager for Mrs. Adams. The house was a large brick structure, and known in its day as the “Mountain City House.” Lewis Smith kept “The Blue Springs House” on Mechanics street, and was largely patronized by old wagoners. Frederic Shipley also kept a tavern on Mechanics street, after he left the American. John Kelso, the old wagoner, kept a tavern for a short time on Mechanics street, and was well patronized; and Otho Barcus, another old wagoner, kept the “Pennsylvania House” on Mechanics street in 1843, and for a period of three years thereafter. The road when first laid out, as seen in a previous chapter, passed over Wills Mountain. In 1834 this location was changed for a better grade, up the valleys of Wills creek and Braddock’s run. To make this change it was necessary to first obtain the consent of the State of Maryland, which was granted by an act of her Legislature in 1832. The old Plumer tavern stood at the eastern end of the old location, and the old Mattingly tavern at the same end of the new location. George Evans kept a tavern, also, near the eastern end of the original location.
JOHN KELSO.
Five miles west of Cumberland, on the new location, a wagon stand was kept by Joseph Everstine. This was a frame house, and stood on the north side of the road. It was well conducted, but owing to its proximity to Cumberland, did not do as large a business as other taverns of the road, more advantageously located.
Six miles west from Cumberland there was an old tavern known as the “Six Mile House.” It belonged to the Bruces, an old and wealthy family of Alleghany county, Maryland, and many years ago was destroyed by fire. A new building was erected on the old site, and remains to this day in the occupancy of a nephew of the old tavern keeper, Aden Clary. This house is near the junction of the old and new locations above referred to, and near the stone bridge over Braddock’s run. The sixth mile post from Cumberland stands on the north wall of this bridge, firm and unshaken. The bridge is well preserved, and a polished stone thereof bears this inscription: “1835—Built by Thomas Fealy, Lieut. Jno. Pickell, U. S. Engineer, H. M. Petitt, Ass’t Supt’d.”
Eight miles west from Cumberland Aden Clary kept. His house was a large and commodious brick building on the south side of the road, and is still standing. There was not a more popular house on the road than Aden Clary’s.
Frostburg is next reached. This was always a prominent point on the road. It did not derive its name, as many suppose, from the crisp atmosphere in which it was located, but from the original owner of the land on which it stands, whose name was Frost. Frostburg was the first stage station west of Cumberland. The leading taverns of Frostburg in the palmy days of the road were the “Franklin House” and the “Highland Hall House.” The Franklin House was kept for many years by Thomas Beall, the father of the Bealls of Uniontown. It was headquarters of the Good Intent stage line. The Highland Hall House was conducted at different times by George W. Claybaugh, George Evans, Samuel Cessna and Thomas Porter. It was the headquarters of the Stockton line of coaches. During Cessna’s time at this house he was the principal actor in a tragedy which produced considerable commotion in the vicinity. A negro servant employed by Cessna addressed some insulting remark to his wife, and immediately upon being informed thereof, Cessna proceeded to dispatch the negro without ceremony. He was tried in Cumberland for murder and acquitted, public sentiment very generally acquiescing in the verdict of the jury. About the year 1850 the Highland Hall House was purchased by the authorities of the Catholic church, remodeled, improved and converted to ecclesiastical uses.